Improvement in mail-bags



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

o. E, BA1LEY.

Mail-Bag'.

No. 210,899. Patented Dec. 17,1878.

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NJPETERS. FHOTOLITHOGRAPHER. WASHMGNN, D. C.

2 sheets-sheet 2.'

C. E. BILBY.

Mail-Bag. No. 210,899'. Patented Dec.17,1878.

UNITED @Tiaras PaTnnT @erica CHARLES E. BAILEY, OF NORTH SGITUATE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAIL-BAGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent- No. 210,899, dated December 17, 1878 application liled November 29, 1878.

To all whom 'it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BAILEY, of North Scituate, o'l the county oi' Plymouth, of the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Bags; and do hereby declare the same to be described in the following speciiication and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a side elevation, Fin'. 2 a longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 a transverse section, of a bag provided with my invention,

such bag being shown in the said figures as closed. Fig. l is a side view, and Fig. 5 a top View, of it as open. Fig. 6 is an inner side view, Fig. 7 anend View, and Fig. S a top view, of the pivotal supporter of the iiexile sliding clasp, to be hereinafter.explained.

My invention is to el'ect the secure closing et' the mouth of a mail-bag, or other article of like character, by a tlexile connection or closing mechanism, which may he expeditiously manipulated or worked, whether for closing or opening the bac'.

ln carrying out my invention I afx to the bag E, on opposite sides of its mouth, two sets of ilanged plates or locking-ways, as they may be termed, they being shown at A A, &c. Each of them consists in arectangular or other proper shaped piece of sheet metal, a, having a flange or rib, I), projecting from it, as represented in Fig. 9, which is a front view, and in Fig. l0, which. is an end view of one of such flanged plates. The ila-n ges are on the outer sides ot' the said plates. The plates of each set are disposed very eloselytogether or at short distances apart, they being, respectively, opposite those ot the other or fellow set, and iirmly fastened by rivets or other suitable means to the bag. These plates are to operate in conjunction with the ilexile sliding clasp B, which is composed or' a series of metallic sections, ccc, Src, shaped as shown, and hinged together at their ends and upper parts. Each of the said sections is U-shaped transversely or is grooved lengthwise, as shown, to receive and clasp two of the locking-ways A A, and is provided at its lower parts with langes d d, to extend inward, as shown, and under the llanges of such lockingway's. The rearinostsection is to be closed at its rear end. Furthermore, each section is not connected to that next it by a link, but by a hinge, such as will permit either of the two sections so hinged together to be swung or turned around laterally either way relatively to the other. The sliding clasp is connected to the bag E by the pivotal supporter C and its sustaining-plate D, the latter being riveted to the bag, and arranged next to the rear hanged plate A of one of the two sets of such plates. The supporter is hinged to the plate D, so as to be capable of being either turned into line with the flanged plates or back and down at a right angle therewith. The supporter is T-shaped in transverse section, like a common T-rail for a railway, without its bottom anges. Furthermore, it is notched or recessed at its front end, as shown at e, to receive a projection, f, extending up from a plate, F, arranged with the bag in manner as represented, and fastened thereto. Projections or stops g h, extending from the supporter C and the rst oi' the sections c, serve to keep the sliding clasp B from being separated from the supporter. Furthermore, there is hinged to the first section of the claspa hasp, H, to engage with an eye or staple, I, projecting from the iirst of the lian ged plates A of one set thereof.

On bringing in contact the two sets of plates A, and sliding the clasp forward upon and over them, the mouth ot the bag will be closed, after which, by turningdown the hasp upon the staple and applying to the latter a padlock and locking it, the bag will be locked by a iiexile connection to its mouth.

To openthe bag, we have only to unlock and remove the padlock from the staple, turn up the hasp, and slide back the clasp and turn it down, as shown in Fig. 4.

From the above it will be seen that the flexile clasp is permanently attached to the bag, so that it cannot be lost or separated therefrom.

I am aware that it is not new to compose a mailbag-mouth fastening of two sets of ribbed ways or plates, a series of U-shaped sections, and a series of wire links, or a leather cap or cover to connect the said sections, the said series of sections not being permanently connected with the bag, as is the ease with the sliding clasp of myinvention. I do notmake use of links embedded in the clasp-sections and pivoted to them, but I hinge the sections together in manner as described; and, furthermore, to prevent the mouth of the bag from being forced open near the clasp-supporter, I apply to it the projection f, to enter the notch e of the clasp-supporter.

I claim as my invention as follows, viz:

1. The combination of the pivotal supporter C and the iexile clasp B, for use with the flanged plates A, when made and applied to a bag substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the pivotal supporter G and its sustaining-plate D, arranged with and applied to such supporter essentially as set forth.

3. The combination of the supporter C, piv oted to the bag or to a plate or device fixed thereto, with such bag, the fleXile clasp B, and the lian ged plates A, applied as specified.

4. The combination of the projection f with the bag, the recessed pivotal supporter C, the leXile clasp B, and the flanged plates, arranged and applied substantially as set forth.

5. The combination ofthe stops g hwith the exile clasp B and its pivotal supporter C, constructed, arranged, and applied substantially as set forth. f-

GHAS. E. BAILEY. Witnesses;

R. H. EDDY, S. N. PIPER. 

